In many applications, it is desirable to attach a member to the midportion of a shaft, the ends of the shaft being preformed with bends and other configurations so as to prohibit inserting a member on the shaft over either of the end portions.
The subject shaft retainer includes a body portion having a generally circular aperture therethrough for engaging the midportion of a shaft over more than 180 degrees of its circumference. The body portion of the retainer is formed of somewhat flexible plastic material which is resilient enough to permit the body portion to be fitted over the midportion of the shaft and encircle the shaft's circumference more than 180 degrees. The body of the retainer also includes a second channel means interconnected with the first for providing access to the circular channel means by the midportion of the shaft. The second channel means also receives a locking key member which is similarly configured in a cross-sectional aspect to the second channel. Together with the circular profile of the first channel means, the key member provides a 360 degree engagement with the circumference of the shaft's midportion. Further, the body member of the retainer includes a window to one surface of the key member which has an upstanding portion or projection formed at that location. This projection extends into the window so as to lock the slideable key member in a desired axial position. When it is desirable to remove the member key by axial movement thereof, the window is used to provide access to the projection is depressed so that the key member will axially slide within the second channel means of the body member and, thus, be disengaged from the body member.